AnkyroTravel insuranceSingapore
Travel insurance in Singapore.
Visiting Singapore? Care is excellent and expensive. Living here and going abroad? MediShield Life does not pay overseas. Here is what to check.
The rules
What Singapore asks of visitors.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Entry rules change, so check again before you fly.
- Visitors: no insurance needed
Singapore does not ask visitors for travel insurance. You must send the free SG Arrival Card in the 3 days before you arrive, or you may be refused entry.
Source: ica.gov.sg - No subsidy for foreigners
Foreigners get no subsidy for inpatient care at public hospitals, in any ward class.
Source: moh.gov.sg - Some medicines need approval
Some medicines need approval from the Health Sciences Authority before you bring them in. Carry your prescription.
Source: gov.uk - Residents: MediShield Life stops at home
MediShield Life lists overseas medical treatment as an exclusion. For care abroad, you need travel insurance.
Source: moh.gov.sg - Residents: some visas ask for it
If your passport needs a Schengen visa, you must show medical insurance for emergency care, hospital stays and repatriation.
Source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
What care costs
If something goes wrong, this is the bill.
What a visitor pays without insurance. Prices vary by hospital and change every year.
- Emergency visit: S$172.90
An emergency department visit at Singapore General Hospital is S$172.90, before special tests, scans or admission.
Source: sgh.com.sg - Specialist visit: up to S$288.78
A first visit to a senior consultant at SGH costs a non-resident S$288.78.
Source: sgh.com.sg - Single room: from S$765.51 a night
A single room at SGH starts at S$765.51 a night at citizen rates. Non-residents can pay more.
Source: sgh.com.sg - Ambulance for a non-emergency: S$274
The 995 ambulance is free in a real emergency. If it turns out not to be one, SCDF charges S$274.
Source: scdf.gov.sg
What to look for
Choosing travel cover for Singapore.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Visitors: direct billing
Hospitals can ask for a deposit or a letter of guarantee. Check your insurer can issue one fast.
- Residents: cover for where you go
A trip to Japan or the US needs a much higher medical limit than one to Malaysia. Match the limit to the place.
- Residents: annual plan or single trip
If you travel 3 or more times a year, an annual plan is often simpler than buying each trip.
- Residents: check your Shield plan
MediShield Life does not pay abroad. Check what your Integrated Shield plan or company plan pays overseas before you rely on it.
Before you land
Sort these before you fly.
- Emergency number
Call 995 for an ambulance in an emergency. The 1777 non-emergency line closes on 1 January 2027.
- Send the SG Arrival Card
Submit it free in the 3 days before you arrive, on the ICA site or the MyICA app.
- Mobile data
Singapore is small and well covered, so a short eSIM plan is enough for most trips. Prepaid SIMs need your passport, and suit longer stays.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Thinking MediShield Life covers you on holiday. It excludes overseas treatment.
- 02Calling 995 for something minor. A non-emergency ride costs S$274.
- 03Buying a plan with a low medical limit for a trip to Japan or the US.
Travel insurance stops when the trip ends, and most visas for living in Singapore don’t accept it. See what Singapore asks of residents.
Questions
People also ask.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Singapore?+
No. Visitors only need the SG Arrival Card. But foreigners get no subsidy at public hospitals, so it is wise to have cover.
Does MediShield Life cover me overseas?+
No. Overseas medical treatment is an exclusion. You need travel insurance for care abroad.
How much is an emergency room visit in Singapore?+
At Singapore General Hospital, an emergency visit is S$172.90 before special tests, scans or admission.
Is annual travel insurance worth it in Singapore?+
If you take 3 or more trips a year, an annual plan is often simpler. Check the medical limit fits your furthest trip.
Other trips
Going somewhere else?
A Schengen visa needs travel medical cover of at least 30,000 euros, valid in every Schengen country, with repatriation. Here is what passes, and what doesn’t.
03MalaysiaVisiting Malaysia? Public hospitals charge foreigners full price. Living here and going abroad? Your cover at home stays at home. Here is what to check.
04ThailandThailand doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But hospitals want a payment guarantee before they treat you, and private care is not cheap. Here is what to know.
05JapanJapan doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But visitors pay the full bill, and unpaid bills can get you refused entry next time. Here is what to know.
06USA visitorsThe US doesn’t ask visitors for insurance. But a few days in hospital can cost more than a car. Here is what care costs, and what a visitor plan must cover.
07Bali and IndonesiaIndonesia doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But a broken leg in Bali can cost over 160 million rupiah, and serious cases can need a flight out. Here is what to know.
08Dubai and the UAEDubai’s law says visitors must be insured, and the 5-year tourist visa asks for proof. Care is good but private, and an unpaid bill can stop you leaving.
09VietnamVietnam doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But private hospitals cost a lot, and a motorbike crash can stop you leaving the country. Here is what to know.
10SpainPublic care in Spain is free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, dental care and the flight home are not. Here is what the card leaves to you in Spain.
11MexicoMexico doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Private hospitals in big cities are good, but most want payment first, and Medicare won’t pay.
12FranceCare in France is not free, even with an EHIC or GHIC. You pay upfront, claim back part, and the flight home is never covered. Here is what to check.
13ItalyThe EHIC and GHIC work in Italy’s public system, but you still pay fees, most medicines and any private doctor. Here is the Italian bill the card leaves you.
14GermanyWith an EHIC or GHIC, most care in Germany costs little. Private extras, mountain rescue and the flight home are on you. Here is what to check.
15PortugalPublic care in Portugal is mostly free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, medicines and the flight home are not. Here is what to check before you fly to Portugal.
16Costa RicaCosta Rica doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Only first emergency care is free, private clinics want payment first, and extensions have their own rules.
17ColombiaMost tourists need no visa and no policy for Colombia. If you do need a visa, insurance is part of it. Private clinics want payment first.
18South KoreaKorea doesn’t ask tourists for insurance, and the national scheme is not for short trips. Hospitals expect you to pay on the spot, then claim.
19Australia working holidayThe 417 and 462 visas don’t make you buy health insurance. But you pay every medical bill yourself, unless your passport gets you limited Medicare. Here is who is covered and what to buy.
20New Zealand working holidayMost working holiday visas for New Zealand require medical and hospital insurance for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you land. Here is who is exempt and what to buy.